Sharing health and disease with animals

There are about 300 zoonotic diseases (transmissible from animals to humans and vice versa) prevalent in the world. Active surveillance of such diseases among animals helps in preventing threats to human health, though surveillance programme for all of them is neither possible nor in place in any country. Further, out of 1461 diseases now recognized in humans, about 62% are caused by multiple-host pathogens characterized by their movement across species lines. Given the rate of population growth, changes in climatic conditions and rapid urban development, the new era of emerging infections will continue in future and even may accelerate. The WHO identified the ecologic impact of human activities as the most important risk factor in the rise of emerging diseases. These include international travel, global warming, trade in exotic and wild animals, growing population of humans and domestic animals, encroachment into wildlife habitat, and concentrated agriculture operations in close proximity to human populations. Travel around the world is faster than the incubation period of these diseases, helping their rapid spread giving rise to pandemics.

Dr. D. N. Garg

Former Dean, College of Veterinary Sciences,

Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences,

Hisar (Haryana) India

Modernizing Needs of Veterinary Education

Prof. (Dr.) M. P. Yadav
President, National Academy of Veterinary Sciences (India)
(Extracts from the NAVS Newsletter, October 2011 issue)

Veterinary education in India is at crossroads due to internal constraints and contradictions as well as new challenges. There is a need for its revamping. The role of veterinary and animal scientists and field functionaries in reducing global hunger, controlling disease in animals and man, monitoring food quality, and promoting animal welfare is now well recognized. Shortage of veterinarians in various fields, such as food animal veterinarian, could have a devastating impact on food safety.

Veterinary education orientation has variations in India and developed countries. The developed countries mostly follow “crop agriculture” and “animal agriculture” models. In developing countries, there is no concept of animal agriculture, though the animals contribute enormously. Further, the developed countries have now geared up and started looking for changing the course curricula in such a way that both veterinary and medical education is empowered to produce graduates which can fill the vacuum in view of the requirement of specialist professionals for helping the “One Health” agenda.

Redefining “veterinary science” and “animal science” in Indian context is necessary as we cannot adopt the system of veterinary education in overseas countries, as our needs are different. Thus, the course curricula revision should consider the role of animal husbandry in economic and social context of farmers and also the country. The course curriculum in veterinary education, regulated by Veterinary Council of India, is common for all the colleges and universities. The veterinary and animal science graduates have a very wide exposure, making them “generalist veterinarians”. However, the changing requirements of livestock and poultry sector and consequently the enhanced role of veterinarians warrant their training in one or more specialized areas.